A helmet made from environmentally friendly scallop shells, called "HOTAMET," is gaining attention. This helmet was born in Sarufutsu Village, Japan's northernmost village, famous for its scallop fishing. The development of this product, which is also notable from an SDGs perspective, began with the idea of creating helmets to protect the village's scallop fishermen from the very shells they harvest.

This article introduces the background and story of how HOTAMET came to be.

Scallops are one of Japan's top marine exports by value. Sarufutsu Village in Hokkaido is one of the leading production areas, having repeatedly ranked number one in Japan for its scallop catch. While the village produces delicious scallops, it also has to dispose of a large number of shells, amounting to about 40,000 tons annually in the Soya region, which includes the village's surroundings. This has long been a regional issue.

Based on this challenge, Koushi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. and TBWA\HAKUHODO, who were in charge of development, focused on the fact that the main component of scallop shells is calcium carbonate. They came up with the idea of reusing it as a material for a new substance, which resulted in the creation of "Karastic®︎," a new eco-plastic material. "HOTAMET" was then developed using this "Karastic®︎."

Compared to using 100% new plastic, this contributed to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by up to 36%.

HOTAMET has a cute, rounded form. Its design incorporates a special ribbed structure that mimics the structure of a scallop shell. This design is not only aesthetically pleasing but also successfully creates strength with less material. It's quite surprising that despite weighing only about 400g, its strength is improved by about 30% compared to a regularly shaped helmet. Furthermore, with details like a scallop pattern on the buckle, the lightweight, durable, and stylish HOTAMET has become suitable for use in various situations.

The color variations include a total of five colors: Coral White, Sand Cream, Deep Black, Ocean Blue, and Sunset Pink, all named after the sea. Each color has a simple design with beautiful curves and a soft hue. Originally developed for scallop fishermen, HOTAMET's stylishness and practicality have led to its widespread use in construction sites, for cycling, and for disaster prevention.

HOTAMET was selected for the "Co-Design Challenge" program promoted by the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition. Furthermore, in November 2023, it won the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award / Grand Prix in the Design category at the ACC TOKYO CREATIVITY AWARDS.

This product, born from a challenge in Sarufutsu Village, Hokkaido, is expected to continue gathering much attention in the future.

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